Forest Health

In this issue: Read about the transitions in woodlands from autumn to winter, and the benefits of leaving leaves where they fall. There's also news about a new milestone for the Healthy Forests Healthy Waters program. Our "Native Trees of Maryland" looks at the Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, and "Invasives in Your Woodlands" looks at the Goldenrain Tree. And don't forget the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

Since its introduction in the United States, goldenrain tree became popular as a landscape tree. It was planted throughout the mid-Atlantic and as far away as California. While initially prized for its resilience and speed of growth, observers and researchers began to recognize its invasive nature as it outcompetes native flora, significantly altering local ecosystems.

The dwarf chinquapin oak (Quercus prinoides), unlike its towering relatives, is a mere 3-12 feet tall (rarely up to 20 feet). It’s one of only two shrublike oaks native to Maryland. Easily grown in a variety of environments, the dwarf chinquapin oak, while small, is ecologically mighty.

Once flowers have bloomed and your yard plants have died back in the fall, you might wonder where all the insects you saw in your yard spend the winter. Most overwinter right where they spent all summer, just hidden. Leaving the leaves provides year-round habitat for all sorts of beneficial insects.

In the News and Notes roundup for this issue: The Maryland state tree nursery is now taking orders for 2026 planting projects; Virginia tribal members establish a food forest; a writer from Backpacker explores a grove of American chestnuts; and NSF funding assists AI research at UMD to forecast wildfires.

As the famous pallet of fall colors begin to fade, Maryland's forests undergo an important transformation into the winter season.

Since its debut as a regular Branching Out feature in 2016, "Invasives in Your Woodland" has profiled a wide variety of invasive plant species that threated the health of Maryland's ecosystems.

In this issue: Read about some good news for Maryland forests, and the promising future of a new woodland stewardship tool. There's information about how to sign up for our popular "The Woods in Your Backyard" online course, and how to find a licensed tree expert for your property. Our "Native Trees of Maryland" looks at the American sycamore, and "Invasives in Your Woodlands" looks at the paper mulberry. And don't forget the events calendar and the Brain Tickler challenge.

Are you a small-acreage property owner who wants to learn how to care for or how to expand existing woodlands, or how to convert lawn space to woodlands? Then join us for our self-directed, non-credit online course. It runs for ten weeks, from September 8 to November 17.

The American sycamore is native to a broad portion of the Middle and Eastern portions of North America, extending from south-central Texas to southern Maine. They are most often found in low-lying, riparian areas across Maryland, although they are also common pioneer hardwood species in abandoned fields and mining sites. Interestingly, sycamores tend to persist through most successional stages and are often present in mature forests.